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Park 79 Hotel: A bargain on the Upper West Side Park 79 Hotel Review

On this return visit to New York we wanted to stay somewhere a little smarter than the hostel we used last time round (good though that was), but we didn’t want to spend a fortune on a room we knew we would spend relatively little time in. My search for a bargain was long and thorough. Most of the budget options in mid-town looked pretty dismal, and our preferred downtown locations (Soho or the Village) were outside our price range. Looking further afield I came across the Park79, which at first glance doesn’t appear to be a budget option. A smart brownstone in a nice district just west of Central Park, it charges over $2,000 for a week in an en suite double. But on each floor it offers a few rooms described as “semi-private” at less than half that price. These have a wash-basin but no other facilities. Guests instead have the use of shared bathrooms, two on each floor. In our week there I never found both bathrooms occupied, and Chris only once had to go down to the floor below, so we found this a fairly small inconvenience when balanced against the saving we made.

Our room was small but had everything we needed (and some things we didn’t!) – a safe, A/C, hairdryer, iron and ironing board, TV. There were plenty of towels, though limited toiletries. Like most US hotels, no breakfast was provided, but there was complimentary coffee and tea available in the lobby every morning (which we never sampled). The location was great! The hotel is two blocks from two different subway stations, offering a choice of three lines. Two minutes’ walk took us to Amsterdam Avenue, with numerous restaurants and several friendly pubs. Even nearer was Columbus Avenue, with a good little coffee shop for our morning lattes and muffins. The neighbourhood overall felt very safe and pleasant.

In terms of value for money in an expensive city, this hotel really scores. The only down-side was the noise from the street, but that’s pretty inevitable in such a lively city. You could try asking for a room at the back, but I have a feeling that all these budget rooms may be at the front. So bring your ear-plugs, and enjoy your stay on the Upper West Side.

Address: 117 West 79th St, New York, NY 10024

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: One block west of the Museum of Natural History. The nearest subway stations are 79th St (on Broadway – line 1) or 81st St (lines B & C)

Phone: (212) 787-3300

Price: US$40-80

Theme: Hotel

Website: http://www.park79.com/